Buncombe County News

This news item expired on 6/30/2013, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.

Western Highlands Network Update

This has been an exciting several weeks for Smoky Mountain Center (SMC) and Western Highlands Network (WHN). These two organizations have a long history of serving our communities and individuals in need of behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability services. Both organizations have been leaders in state initiatives and becoming managed care organizations to support consumers who receive Medicaid and State funded services.

As the State of North Carolina, and the Governor’s office promote their new initiative "Partnership for a Healthy North Carolina", both organizations’ Board of Directors feel that working in partnership will give the western and foothills counties of North Carolina the best chance of maintaining a responsive, local and public management system of care for behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability services.

As this partnership moves towards becoming a consolidated organization, they will also expand their efforts to link with health care organizations to achieve the goals the Governor has set out in his initiative.

Both organizations are working together to ensure that citizens have the information they need as the partnership moves forward. Attached below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. For the most up to date information, bookmark these two websites: